


a hundred days (and i'm still alive)

by seothsayers



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Supernatural Elements, Demons, Ex-Childhood Friends to Lovers, M/M, Pining, Wynonna Earp Inspired
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-27
Updated: 2020-07-27
Packaged: 2021-03-04 18:28:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,783
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25190905
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/seothsayers/pseuds/seothsayers
Summary: Baekhyun returns home to end the family curse.
Relationships: Byun Baekhyun/Kim Jongdae | Chen
Comments: 6
Kudos: 52
Collections: Director's Cut Fest





	a hundred days (and i'm still alive)

**Author's Note:**

> the tv show i picked was wynonna earp!! it's good show, i recommend it.
> 
> very brief warnings: there is some violence, but it isn't rlly graphic and it is sporadic throughout the fic
> 
> thanks to the mods for creating this fun fest and enabling me to write this!!

The coach pulls into Purgatory just before midnight. Baekhyun shoulders his backpack and thanks the driver as he steps off, taking in the town. Not much had changed – it still looks run down, still looks quaint and still makes Baekhyun feel sick to his stomach.

Baekhyun pins his unease on his general anxiety about the situation. Back in his hometown after running away from both it and all his life problems a decade earlier? He wasn’t too eager to be back. He blames the unease on the footsteps he hears too, slowly spinning to see an empty street.

Baekhyun quickens his pace. He is headed to Heaven’s Gate, and then an apartment Minseok had hooked him up with. Minseok is the only reason Baekhyun is even back. Seventeen-year-old Baekhyun had promised himself he would never step foot back in Purgatory ever again, but it had only taken a ten minute phone call and a teasing “You are a very hard man to track down Baekhyun Byun,” to pique his interest. Minseok had something for him apparently, something that could only be delivered in person and only on his twenty-seventh birthday. Baekhyun checks his phone. It was officially six minutes past twelve on May 6th. He was officially twenty-seven.

There is a rustle from behind him and Baekhyun spins faster this time. If he had been anywhere else, he would have said it was a hallucination, but this was Purgatory and Baekhyun knew better than that. He sees them straight away, the red eyes watching him in the dark.

“Back in town, Baekhyun?” The voice is familiar, the same one from all those years ago that still haunts is nightmares.

More red eyes appear in the dark and Baekhyun doesn’t hesitate. He turns and runs straight to Heaven’s Gate. Purgatory is small and the town layout is engrained in his mind and so he makes it there quickly, bursting through the doors and rushing inside.

The saloon is silent. There are no patrons, which is odd considering the time of night. Minseok is stood behind the bar, drying off beer glasses. He glances up when Baekhyun rushes in and smiles, but it quickly turns into a frown when he sees the expression on Baekhyun’s face.

“Something wrong?” Minseok asks.

Baekhyun walks over to the bar, catching his breath. “It’s just me being paranoid—” He begins, but then the doors burst open again and three red eyed men are stood in the doorway. Slowly they stalk forwards.

“Stay out of our way, witch.” The one in the middle snarls to Minseok.

“Don’t be so rude,” Minseok says. Then, “Catch.”

Baekhyun turns just in time to grab what is being tossed towards him. It is a gun – ornate in decoration, but Baekhyun doesn’t have time to do more than glance at it because the men are still headed towards him and Minseok is shouting “Shoot!”.

Baekhyun pulls the trigger. He watches, hypnotised as the symbols along the barrel start to emit an orange glow. The bullet hits the guy in the middle directly in the forehead. It should have been impossible considering Baekhyun’s touched a gun maybe once in his life, but impossible things find a way of happening in Purgatory. A pit of fire opens below the man and the two others with him scatter, running back out of the door. The man falls into the darkness, attempting to grab onto the saloon’s wooden floorboards, but then he is gone, pulled under by some invisible force and the fiery hole closes.

Minseok is shaking his head when Baekhyun looks over at him. “I didn’t think they would have the audacity to hunt you down the minute you got back in town. More fool me, clearly.”

“I don’t understand.” Baekhyun says and Minseok raises an eyebrow at him.

“I think you do, a little bit at least.” Minseok says. “Take a seat, we have a lot to discuss.”

Baekhyun obeys, sitting down at the bar and setting the gun down between them. Now he can study it properly, he can see it is a colt. His dad used to have one. Baekhyun remembers Baekbeom going on and on about it. Minseok slides a shot glass over to him and Baekhyun downs it instantly. Ah, tequila.

“So, what is it you had to give me so urgently?” Baekhyun asks as Minseok refills his shot glass.

Minseok points to the gun. “This is the key to your past, present and future. It’s called Peacemaker and it is your legacy, Baekhyun.”

Baekhyun looks down at the gun and then back to Minseok. He downs his second shot, wincing at the burn in his throat. “I think I’m going to need more than a few shots to get through this.”

Minseok slides the tequila bottle over the counter towards him.

∞

The red eyes have followed Baekhyun for his entire life.

It started when he was young, five years old and being bullied at school. One lunch time, he had isolated himself in the corner of the playground, messing about in the sandbox. A man with bright red hair and matching red eyes had come up to the gates and asked his name. Baekhyun had told him of course, he was five and lonely, and the two kept talking until Baekhyun’s teacher came to find him after he hadn’t returned when the bell had gone off. It was only when he told her what he had been doing that Baekhyun got the impression things weren’t right. Her panicked eyes, the way she dragged him back into the school, the way his mother had scolded him and then hit him around the head when he got home. “How many times have I told you not to talk to strangers?” She had shouted and Baekhyun had cried himself to sleep. The school stayed on the lookout for that man for months afterwards, but nothing ever came of it.

The eyes followed Baekhyun home from school, they were there when he looked out of his bedroom window, hiding in the long grass, they lingered in the trees around the graveyard during his brother’s funeral. The only time Baekhyun had ever truly been able to escape them was by packing all his belongings into his suitcase and skipping town as soon as he was done with school. His mother had made the journey already, three years earlier. Baekhyun was just following in her footsteps.

Baekhyun left behind everything in Purgatory. His home, his childhood, his friends, his brother, his nightmares. He refused to look back. He couldn’t.

∞

There is a knocking on his apartment door bright and early the next morning. Baekhyun was a little hungover – he and Minseok had stayed up until three am catching up. Finding out Minseok was actually a witch made a lot of sense – he hadn’t aged at all in the ten years Baekhyun had been gone. Baekhyun grabs Peacemaker and makes his way to the door, looking through the peephole. He breathes a sigh of relief when he realises who it is and pulls the door open with a grin. “Well, well, well, look who it is! My favourite person!”

Junmyeon laughs, adjusting the Stetson on his head. “You flatter me, Baekhyun. I heard you were back in town, so I just wanted to stop by and say hello, and well, happy birthday.”

“Thank you,” Baekhyun says. “Do you want to come in?”

Junmyeon shakes his head and Baekhyun is silently relieved. He has absolutely nothing to offer, no food, not even tea. “I can’t stay. Sheriff things to attend to, you know how it is. There are two people asking for you down at the station though.”

Baekhyun frowns. “Did they say why?”

“No, they wouldn’t tell me.” Junmyeon says. “They’re from out of town by the looks of things. Dressed in suits too fancy to be from around here.”

“I’ll come by and see what they want later.” Baekhyun says. “Thanks for stopping by.”

“I’ll see you around if you’re staying in town for a while,” Junmyeon says. “Not much has changed since you left. Almost everyone’s still here.”

“Even Jongdae?” Baekhyun asks, hesitantly.

“Even him! He works at Heaven’s Gate sometimes, helping Minseok out.” Junmyeon says. “Actually, he only lives a couple of blocks away; I can give you the address if you –”

“Don’t worry about it. I’m sure I’ll bump into him.” Baekhyun says quickly. “See you later Junmyeon.”

When Junmyeon’s gone, Baekhyun takes a long shower. It is perfect thinking time; the warm water rushing over his skin.

Baekhyun had known that coming back to Purgatory was going to open all his old wounds, ones he had worked so hard to bury, and Jongdae Kim was one of them. Childhood best friends to complete strangers and it was all Baekhyun’s fault. He’s a little surprised Minseok didn’t mention Jongdae – there was no way he would have forgotten how close they were. Then again, Minseok had made it very clear that he was in Purgatory to do his duty and protect the Byun heir, to help them stop the revenants. Silly mortal quarrels wouldn’t concern him.

Baekhyun dresses in ripped jeans and an oversized hoodie, tucking Peacemaker into the front pocket. He needs a holster or something, carrying around a gun in your pocket probably isn’t safe. The first order of business is breakfast. By the time he is ready to leave, his stomach is rumbling loudly. Baekhyun doesn’t remember the last time he ate more than a cereal bar. Old habits die hard, and he finds himself taking the familiar path to the old diner opposite the saloon.

“Are my eyes deceiving me or is that Baekhyunnie I see before me?” Baekhyun grins as Yixing approaches him. “How are you doing?”

“I’ve been better,” Baekhyun says, honestly. “What about you?”

“Married.” Yixing says. He holds up his left hand and points at his ring finger. “I did try to send you an invite, but no-one knew where you were. Not even Jongdae.”

Baekhyun winces. “Yeah… sorry. Congratulations! I’m really happy for you.”

“How long are you in town for?” Yixing asks. “Or are you back for good?”

“I don’t know yet,” Baekhyun says. “If I leave, I won’t disappear without saying goodbye this time though.”

Yixing reaches out to pat Baekhyun’s shoulder. “I’m holding you to that. Come on, I’ll get you a table. Blueberry pancakes and maple syrup?”

“Please.” Baekhyun nods.

“Coming right up.” Yixing says with a wink.

It is good to see him, Baekhyun realises, as Yixing stops by to fill up his coffee. Things in Purgatory seem frozen in time – when Baekhyun had left, Yixing was an eighteen-year-old with a part time diner job, saving up money for college and now Baekhyun’s back, he’s still doing the same thing. Baekhyun doesn’t ask about college, it seems rude. Not everyone is as disillusioned with small town life as he was and still is.

“Food is on the house,” Yixing says, ushering him out the door when Baekhyun pulls out his wallet. “Don’t be a stranger!”

Baekhyun slips a hefty tip in the jar at the counter to make up for it.

He decides to head to the grocery store next. Baekhyun stocks up on the basics: bread, milk, an ungodly number of chocolate cereals, and is standing in the vegetable aisle, staring at the produce in the hopes of gaining the ability to eat healthily through osmosis when he sees him.

It was always going to happen, Baekhyun just didn’t think it was going to happen so soon.

Jongdae looks good. _Too_ good. He’s dressed in exercise gear so Baekhyun gets a nice view of his arms as he lifts his basket and Baekhyun nearly drops his bag of carrots. He hates himself, hates that the first thought he has when he sees his ex-best friend is “wow, he’s hot.” Ten years was apparently not enough time to get over the massive crush he had on Jongdae. Baekhyun is two seconds away from darting into another aisle to avoid him when Jongdae looks up and makes eye contact.

Jongdae masks the surprise well. Baekhyun would have missed it if he hadn’t been staring so intently at Jongdae’s face. He covers it with a look of indifference and then they are stuck in a standoff, both too afraid to make the first move. Baekhyun bites the bullet and smiles, walking over. They wouldn’t be able to avoid each other forever, not here. “Hey.” Baekhyun says. “Long time no see.”

Jongdae’s eyebrows shoot up into his hairline. “Yeah, it’s been a while.” Baekhyun can’t help but wince. “I heard you were back in town, but I didn’t really believe it until now.” Jongdae says.

“Well, here I am.” Baekhyun rubs at his neck. “How have you been?”

“Fine,” Jongdae says curtly, narrowing his eyes. “Did you want something Baekhyun?”

“No. No, I just… thought I would say hello. It would be rude not to.” Baekhyun responds.

Jongdae lets out a short laugh. “Right, rude. Well, I’m sure I’ll see you around Baekhyun. This town is too small not to. Goodbye.” Jongdae turns on his heel and begins to walk off. He stops before he can disappear down another aisle and says, “Happy birthday,” and then he is gone.

Baekhyun feels sick. If he wasn’t in desperate need to groceries, he would have abandoned his basket in the middle of the aisle and ran all the way home. He closes his eyes and wills himself to _breathe_. Jongdae has every right to be mad at him, Baekhyun knows that, but it still doesn’t help soothe the overwhelming guilt and anxiety rushing through his body. Baekhyun stares at the vegetables until his eyes go blurry and he heads to the chocolate aisle instead. 

By the time Baekhyun gets to the sheriff’s station, he has bumped into half a dozen more people who all greet him with varying levels of surprise. News spreads quickly after all. Baekhyun smiles his best fake smile until his cheeks hurt.

Junmyeon waves at him when he enters the station and gestures over to a room. “They are waiting for you in there.”

“They stayed here this whole time?” Baekhyun asks.

“I know, I can’t believe it either,” Junmyeon says with a frown. “Call me if you need anything.”

Inside the room are two men, dressed just as Junmyeon had described. One is wearing black sunglasses and the other regular glasses and they both stop talking and turn to face the door when he enters.

“Can I help you gentlemen?” He asks.

“Baekhyun Byun, correct?” The shorter of the two says, standing to shake Baekhyun’s hand. He has wide eyes and furrowed brows.

Baekhyun nods. “That’s me.”

The taller of the two lifts his sunglasses up to sit on his head and pulls a badge from his pocket. He shows it to Baekhyun – _Black Badge Division_. “I’m Agent Park and this is Agent Do. We’ve been assigned to Purgatory to deal with the rising level of supernatural activity in the area.”

“What Agent Park’s means is that we know about the Byun curse, we know that you just turned twenty-seven and we know that there are a bunch of demons hot on your tail.” Agent Do says, crossing his arms. “It would be in your best interest to accept our help in resolving this issue.”

Baekhyun looks between the two of them. “Um. Can I think about it?”

“Of course,” Agent Park says.

“Don’t take too long,” Agent Do adds, “We have reason to believe that the demons are working to break the curse and the longer it takes you to get rid of them, the higher the chance they have of reaching their goal.”

“Right.” Baekhyun says. “Good talk. I’ll get back to you soon. Where can I find you?”

“We’ll be right here.” Agent Do says. “We’re setting up base in the station, so we have access to all the case files.”

“Great,” Baekhyun says. “Thanks!”

When Baekhyun leaves, Junmyeon is waiting in the lobby. “Everything okay?” He asks, with a gesture to the room.

Baekhyun nods. “Yeah. I’ll probably be back soon. They uh… want help with an ongoing investigation.”

“Oh, so they are planning to stick around?” Junmyeon asks.

“It’s probably best if you talk to them about that,” Baekhyun says. “See you later Junmyeon.” He doesn’t want to be there when Junmyeon finds out a pair of strangers with mysterious badges are crashing his office.

Baekhyun goes straight to Heaven’s Gate. His brain feels fried. It feels weird to accept from complete strangers, especially since the Byun curse is not common knowledge. Hell, almost all of Purgatory was living in it, unaware. Baekhyun wants Minseok’s opinion. The immortal witch knows all, or at least, more than Baekhyun does.

The saloon is busy for mid-afternoon. Baekhyun walks straight to the bar, expecting to see Minseok stood there but it is just his luck that its not Minseok, but Jongdae instead. They make eye contact and Baekhyun freezes up for a second before he starts laughing at the absurdity.

“Something funny?” Jongdae asks.

“It is kind of ridiculous that we managed to bump into each other again this soon, don’t you think?” Baekhyun says.

“Like I said, small town.” Jongdae says. “What do you want?”

It takes Baekhyun a moment to realise he means to drink, and he shakes his head. “Oh, no, I was looking for Minseok.”

“He’s in the cellar,” Jongdae gestures over to a door at the back of the saloon.

“Thanks,” Baekhyun says.

Minseok is sorting through stock when Baekhyun finds him. “Back so soon?” He says.

“The weirdest fucking thing just happened to me,” Baekhyun says.

“You saw Jongdae?” Minseok guesses.

“What – no.” Baekhyun says. “Although I’ve already seen him twice today, so I swear fate is trying to fuck with me. Anyway, no, two guys were asking for me up at the sheriff’s station – they said they are from the Black Badge Division and they know about the curse and want to help?”

Minseok narrows his eyes. “Black Badge Division of what?”

“I have no idea, I didn’t ask.” Baekhyun says. “I was more concerned about how they randomly showed up and knew about everything going on. Is it too much of a coincidence?”

Minseok shrugs. “It’s been a while since I last did this, it wouldn’t surprise me if there was a government division interested in what goes on here.”

“I just didn’t want to agree to their help without talking to you first,” Baekhyun says, biting at his lip. “I literally took this all on _today_ , I don’t know what I’m doing.”

“Then maybe it’s worth accepting whatever it is they are offering.” Minseok says. “I can help you as much as I can, but I won’t hold your hand through it. I have a business to run and a town I’m trying to protect.”

“Okay, I’ll –” Baekhyun cuts off as footsteps coming down the stairs. He glances up to see Jongdae looking between them.

“I could use some help.” Jongdae says. “Getting busy up there.”

“I’m coming.” Minseok says, setting down his clipboard with a sigh. He turns to Baekhyun. “Come back later tonight, we can talk again then.”

Baekhyun spends the rest of his day in his apartment, googling his family history. From what he finds and from what Minseok had told him, Baekhyun’s able to connect the dots. Baekhyun’s great-great-grandfather had pissed off a demon and as a result, his descendants were cursed to kill the seventy-seven outlaws old grandfather Byun had killed in his lifetime. If they died before they could, the job would be passed down the family tree to the next living heir when they turned twenty-seven. Minseok had been there, and had managed to seal the revenants to Purgatory, which made things a little easier because there was not a lot of places to hide. The three seals were hidden across town and it would take the destruction of all three for the revenants to be able to break free of Purgatory. Baekhyun had to kill them all before they got to him. He was painfully aware of the fact that no-one had succeeded thus far, so it was hard not to feel hopeless.

Still, one down, seventy-six to go.

He heads back to Heaven’s Gate close to midnight. Purgatory is a different place at night. Now the streets are quieter, he can feel the eyes on him. It’s not that they weren’t there during the day, it’s just at night, they were bolder. They edge closer, keeping pace with him as he walks. Baekhyun makes it to the saloon without incident, heading straight to the slot machine at the back when he notices Jongdae behind the bar. He could use a drink, but he wasn’t _that_ desperate.

Jongdae’s eyes burn holes in his back as he loses four consecutive rounds. Minseok joins him after a while, leaning against the wall and watching as Baekhyun fails again.

“This thing is rigged, I swear.” Baekhyun says.

“Didn’t _you_ rig it once?” Minseok questions.

“No, that was Baekbeom.” Baekhyun smiles fondly at the memory. “I was just his accomplice.”

“Come on, let’s sit down,” Minseok says. He takes Baekhyun to a table away from the others. There is music coming from the jukebox, loud enough to hide their conversation as long as they are careful about the volume. When they sit, Minseok says, “I told Jongdae you were looking for work whilst you’re in town and that I said you could work the bar.”

“Are you kidding me?” Baekhyun asks. “Jongdae hates my guts.”

“He doesn’t hate you Baekhyun, he just isn’t used to seeing you back. He’ll warm up to you faster the more he’s exposed to you,” Minseok states, matter of factly. “Besides, it’s more convenient. You’ll be seeing me on almost a daily basis then, no need to raise his suspicion even further by coming in every night to talk to me secretly.”

“Minseok…” Baekhyun glances over to Jongdae. He is busy serving, but every so often he glances over at the two of them. He holds Baekhyun’s gaze when he catches him looking and Baekhyun looks away first.

“I’ll schedule you on opposite shifts.” Minseok promises. “Apart from when it’s really busy. I could actually use the help, Baekhyun, and I will pay you well.”

“Fine.” Baekhyun agrees. “You owe me big time though.”

“I’m already helping you out.” Minseok says with a roll of his eyes. “Come on. We can do some basic bar training whilst there are customers.”

Baekhyun heads home at two am. He had spent half his time learning how to work the bar and the rest of the evening talking to Minseok. Things with Jongdae had been awkward to say the least. He didn’t seem happy to know they were going to be working together, and the only times he had spoken to Baekhyun all evening is when Minseok conveniently disappeared and Baekhyun needed help.

He understands why Jongdae is mad, Baekhyun would feel the exact same way if the roles are reversed. He knows things can’t be magically fixed and that he owes Jongdae an apology. It’s just hard. If Baekhyun apologises, he still has to skirt around the truth and Baekhyun doesn’t want his relationship with Jongdae to be built on lies, not again.

It’s rough. Baekhyun watches Jongdae the entire evening, the way he laughs with customers and fancy moves he does when he is making cocktails. It’s mind-numbingly attractive and Baekhyun feels like he is ten seconds away from banging his head against the bar at all times. He’s not sure how he’s going to make it through the next few weeks, months, _years_. Baekhyun buries all his feelings the way he knows best. There are more important things to be worrying about, like the red eyes he sees from his bedroom window before he shuts the curtains.

∞

The next day, Baekhyun meets Agents Do and Park at the station with a big box. “This is all the stuff of my dad’s I was able to save before my mom decided to leave Purgatory and I moved in with the Kims.” Baekhyun explains. “I’m sure there’s more hidden at the ranch somewhere, but I wouldn’t be surprised if that place has been condemned. It has been unlived in for thirteen years now.”

“Let’s take a look through all of this first.” Agent Do says.

Baekhyun is proud of his fourteen-year-old self. He had just grabbed a bunch of stuff that had been lying around on his dad’s desk, untouched for a decade and covered in dust. His dad’s study had been off limits, but with his mother grieving Baekbeom, Baekhyun had stolen the key and snuck in one night before the funeral. It was a good job really, less than a week later he was setting up home in the Kim’s spare room and trying to reason with the fact that his mother, in all her grief, had left him alone.

Baekhyun flips through one of the diaries. There are pictures hidden in the pages, lots of a young Baekbeom, and others of his mom. He stops at an entry dated back to before he was born. _January 12 th, 1992_.

_Killed a revenant in front of Baekbeom today. He was traumatised, but I had no choice. It was going to kill him, and I would rather die than allow that to happen. This brings it up to forty-three dead. Thirty-four left. I so desperately want them all gone before the baby is born but going after them to ensure that is reckless and will almost definitely get me killed. I have to be there for my family._

Baekhyun’s dad died a week before Christmas in 1992. He feels sick.

“You had an older brother, correct?” Agent Do asks.

Baekhyun nods, setting the diary down. “Baekbeom. He was seven years older than me.”

“He died?” Agent Do continues.

“Car crash.” Baekhyun reels off the details. He has them memorised. “He was driving too fast and it was dark out. Went straight into a tree. Pronounced dead at the scene. He was twenty-one.”

Agent Do looks at him across the table. “Have you ever considered the possibility that was all a lie?”

“A lie?” Baekhyun repeats.

“Did you get to see the body?” Agent Do asks.

“No, I was fourteen. I didn’t want to see the mangled corpse of my dead brother.” Baekhyun says.

“Did your mother see it?” Agent Do presses.

“I mean, probably. What are you getting at?” Baekhyun asks.

“What Kyungsoo – I mean, Agent Do – is saying is that he could have been targeted by revenants. If you never saw the body, it might have been for a reason. Like a they tore off his head sort of reason.” Agent Park answers.

“Fuck.”

“Chanyeol.” Kyungsoo glares at him. “Have some tact.”

“No… I think you might be right.” Baekhyun says. “It would explain why my mother was so spooked. I mean, obviously, she was upset. She had lost her husband and now her son, but I always felt there was something off about it all. She barely looked at me before she left. God, that’s fucked up.”

Chanyeol nods. “Super fucked up.”

“Can you two use your special clearance to find out more? Search for his autopsy report?” Baekhyun asks. “I don’t think anyone in town would take too kindly to me digging up his grave to see for myself what he looks like.”

“His body would have decomposed quite a bit by now, so that’s probably for the best,” Chanyeol says and Kyungsoo just sighs.

“We’ll get the files.” Kyungsoo says. His face softens as he looks at one of the pictures on the table – baby Baekhyun being held by his dad, Baekbeom grinning beside them. “You know, if this gets too much for you, we can take a break. Reliving trauma isn’t easy, and you only got back into town yesterday.”

“I’ll be fine,” Baekhyun says. “But thanks, Kyungsoo.”

Baekhyun hides his smile at the slight twitch of Kyungsoo’s mouth when Baekhyun calls him by his name.

Entering Heaven’s Gate for his first official shift later that evening, Baekhyun decides he really isn’t fine. They had managed to establish a timeline that mapped out all Baekhyun’s relatives and how many revenants they had killed before they had died. Baekhyun’s father had handily started putting together a guide of sorts, piecing together information from the diaries of Baekhyun’s great-grandfather and his great-great grandfather. Some revenants had names, others extremely distinguishing features. Baekhyun knew his old red-haired friend would be somewhere on that list.

Baekhyun should have called it quits then, but Kyungsoo and Chanyeol had managed to get the autopsy report from Junmyeon and it confirmed what they had guessed – Baekbeom’s head had been torn from his body and his guts were spilled across the road by the time the ambulance got to him. Everyone at the scene had been sworn to secrecy by the previous sheriff, Junmyeon’s father. Baekhyun wonders how much Junmyeon himself knew, whether he had ever been curious enough to sneak a look at Baekbeom’s file. Death and mystery shrouded Baekhyun’s family.

Either way, it hits Baekhyun hard. There are a million questions running through his mind. What was his mother thinking, leaving him alone in Purgatory? Did she figure that he would follow in her footsteps and jump town like he did? What would have happened if Minseok hadn’t been able to track him down, or he had just said no and hadn’t returned?

“You look like shit.” Jongdae says when he enters the saloon and steps behind the bar.

“Thanks.” Baekhyun says, but there’s no fight in his tone and Jongdae seems to pick up on it. Baekhyun thanks whatever deity is listening that Jongdae has always been kind at heart, and that even if he hates Baekhyun now, he won’t go out of his way to provoke him when he’s feeling low.

Baekhyun gets to work, trying his hardest to cover up the sheer exhaustion seeping into his bones. He’s not very good at it, made clear by Minseok pulling him aside part way through the shift and gripping onto his shoulders. “What is wrong with you?”

“Did you know the revenants killed my brother?” Baekhyun asks. “I saw his autopsy report.”

Minseok hesitates. “I suspected. I’m sorry.”

“It’s just bringing up a lot of memories from that week.” Baekhyun says. “He was acting so weird and I was convinced he had a secret girlfriend or something. Turns out he was probably just being stalked, like I was.”

“I think you should go home,” Minseok says, squeezing his shoulders lightly. “You need to rest.”

“I… yeah. Sorry, Minseok.” Baekhyun drops his head.

“Don’t worry about it. See how you’re feeling tomorrow, hm?” Minseok suggests. “I’ll walk you back.”

Baekhyun sleeps terribly. It is no surprise, really. Thoughts of his brother and his dad plague his dreams and Baekhyun wakes up with a start, feeling deeply unnerved, as though he is being watched. The revenants can’t step on the ground around his apartment – Minseok had helpfully warded the place against them – but it does nothing to soothe his anxiety about it all.

There is a knock at his door and Baekhyun slowly makes his way to answer it. Much to his surprise, Jongdae is stood on the other side. He is holding a Tupperware box, and he thrusts it out to Baekhyun when the door opens. “Minseok said you weren’t feeling too good, so I made you some food.” Jongdae says. “It’s one of my mom’s old recipes.”

Baekhyun looks at Jongdae in disbelief, reaching out to take the box. Jongdae made him food? Had he woken up in an alternate dimension? “Thank you.”

“It’s nothing.” Jongdae says with a wave of his hand. “Can I ask you something?”

Baekhyun nods.

“What happened last night?” Jongdae asks. “You looked as though you had seen a ghost.”

Baekhyun shrugs. “This town holds a lot of memories. I thought I was better prepared to face them, but clearly I wasn’t.”

“Then why did you come back Baekhyun?” Jongdae asks.

Baekhyun hesitates. The million-dollar question. It would make his life so much easier if he could tell Jongdae the truth. There had been so many times when he had almost broke when they were young, so many times he had nearly told Jongdae about the red eyes following him. If there was one person in town, he could fully trust, one person he knew wasn’t watching and waiting for him to break, it was Jongdae.

Baekhyun’s a coward though. “I’ll let you know if I figure it out.” He says at last.

Jongdae stares at him for what feels like an eternity before he steps back and nods. His lips press into a firm line and Baekhyun sighs inwardly because _fuck_.

“Thank you for the food, Jongdae.”

“It’s fine.” Jongdae says, closed off again. “I’ll see you at work Baekhyun.”

∞

Time seems to fly by, and before Baekhyun knows it, a month has passed. He takes out ten more revenants, bringing his total to eleven. Just sixty-six more to go.

They seem to be lying in wait. From what Minseok tells him, and from what Chanyeol and Kyungsoo have picked up on whilst they were out on recon, they stick to the same areas on the outskirts of town, away from the innocent people in Purgatory and away from Baekhyun. Chanyeol jokes that they are scared of him, that they think if they hide, Baekhyun won’t go after them. Kyungsoo thinks that they are plotting something, and Baekhyun can’t help but agree.

It is hard to figure out what exactly. Baekhyun doesn’t want to walk right into the lion’s den, not when he’s still so new to this and it would most likely cost him his life. Baekhyun is the last of his line. There was no other Byun heir to take up the mantle after him. Baekhyun couldn’t let the revenants win. The curse had to end with him, for the sake of everyone who lived in Purgatory, and everyone across the world.

Baekhyun settles into a sweet little routine. He gets breakfast at the diner almost every morning, chatting to Yixing and catching up with other familiar faces who stop by – Jongin, Sehun, Taeyong. His days are spent at the sheriff’s station, adding to Chanyeol’s pinboard of leads, staking out revenant hideaways with Kyungsoo and sharing coffee and doughnuts with Junmyeon for lunch. Then, in the evenings he heads to Heaven’s Gate for work.

Jongdae seems to have accepted Baekhyun’s presence for the most part. He doesn’t scowl at Baekhyun anymore, and if they talk, they keep their conversations light, skirting around Baekhyun’s exit from town, his dead family and Jongdae’s feelings about the whole situation. Is it healthy? Definitely not. But it allows them to work alongside each other without too much drama and that keeps Minseok happy.

Baekhyun’s scared. Scared that their relationship will never be what it used to, scared that Jongdae is just putting up with him, scared that despite it all, the feelings he’s buried deep inside just seem to be growing into something stronger. Baekhyun has accepted the fact he is destined to a life of suffering.

Things start going wrong at the beginning of July.

The heat is unbearable. Purgatory is dry enough as it is, and Baekhyun ends up spending his days at the station with a cold-water bottle pressed to his head whilst he tries and fails to read his great-grandfather’s diary. Poor handwriting runs in the family. Somehow, Chanyeol and Kyungsoo are still suited and booted, not breaking a sweat, and Baekhyun begins to piece together a theory that they aren’t human.

He isn’t needed at Heaven’s Gate that night, so Baekhyun heads straight home after he is done for the day. He isn’t far from his apartment when he sees him. It has been over twenty years, but his face still haunts Baekhyun’s dreams. The bright red hair, the bright red eyes. It’s all the same.

“Baekhyun, I’ve missed you.” His voice still sends shivers down Baekhyun’s spine.

Seeing him in person again seems to unlock a part of Baekhyun’s mind that he had kept wrapped up before. He steps backwards as he remembers the way the revenant stood with his face pressed between the bars of the school gates, his sharp teeth as he grinned at Baekhyun and said “My name is…”

“Suho.” Baekhyun gasps out and Suho laughs.

“I was beginning to think you had forgotten about me.” Suho says. “You were gone for so long. I missed you Baekhyun.”

“Missed me?” Baekhyun repeats. “Do you mean, missed stalking me? You know, I can kill you now.”

“You can try, Baekhyun, but you won’t succeed.” Suho tilts his head to the side, looks Baekhyun up and down. “I pity you. No family, no real friends. You are all alone Baekhyun. You will die and we will be free of this place, of _you_.”

Baekhyun pulls Peacemaker from its holster and levels it at Suho, but before he can shoot, he is knocked to the ground. There is a revenant on top of him, one he doesn’t recognise, and he curses himself for getting so distracted that he failed to pay attention to his surroundings. They roll around for a minute, Baekhyun trying to keep the revenant’s snapping jaws from tearing into his neck, and somehow Baekhyun manages to scramble to his feet, lifting Peacemaker and shooting. Goodbye, number twelve.

The screams of the revenant as it falls back to hell are so loud in the silence of the street. Baekhyun looks around. There are other revenants moving closer and Baekhyun levels Peacemaker at them. “Stay back.” He says.

They don’t listen. Baekhyun takes down another four revenants before they start to back up, and they all flee as a car engine rumbles and a large black SUV comes speeding down the road towards them. Kyungsoo doesn’t even cut the engine as he jumps out, gun pointed at the revenants. The weapon is harmless, but the threat posed is still real, especially when Chanyeol climbs out after him. The revenants disperse and Baekhyun’s arms drop to his sides.

“What happened?” Kyungsoo asks, rushing over.

“They ambushed me,” Baekhyun says. “The revenant I told you about, the one that followed me when I was young. He was here. His name is Suho.”

“Suho.” Chanyeol repeats, pulling out a pocket notepad. “Did he say anything to you?”

“Just threats.” Baekhyun says.

His head is pounding. Baekhyun touches a hand to his forehead and pulls it away to see blood staining his fingers.

“Let’s go to the saloon,” Kyungsoo says. “Get you cleaned up, speak to that witch of yours.”

Baekhyun lets them help him into the SUV and he slumps against the back seat as Kyungsoo drives them the few short minutes to Heaven’s Gate. Both Minseok and Jongdae are there when they enter, and Baekhyun hastily shoves Peacemaker into his holster.

“What happened?” Minseok asks, looking between the three of them.

“I fell.” Baekhyun says, glancing over at Jongdae who is looking at Kyungsoo and Chanyeol with confusion and Baekhyun with concern. “You would think I would have grown out of being clumsy by now.”

“Jongdae get the first aid kit,” Minseok orders.

Jongdae nods and goes into the backroom. As soon as the door swing shut behind him, Minseok says. “What _really_ happened?”

“I saw the guy that stalked me as a kid,” Baekhyun explains. “His name is Suho, I think he was just trying to frighten me.”

“There were over a dozen revenants there by the time we pulled up, I think saying he was just trying to frighten you is an understatement really,” Chanyeol says. “They wanted you dead.”

Kyungsoo nods. “They could have overwhelmed you easily.”

Jongdae re-enters the room then, walking over with the first aid box. Minseok drags Baekhyun to a table and pushes him into a seat.

Jongdae lingers behind Minseok, watching as he dabs at Baekhyun’s head with an antiseptic wipe. “If he hit his head, shouldn’t we take him to the hospital?” He asks, quietly. “He might have concussion.”

“I don’t need to go to the hospital, I didn’t fall that hard.” Baekhyun says, at the same time Minseok shakes his head.

“We can keep an eye on him here.” Minseok says, knowing full well Baekhyun wasn’t concussed. “If he starts exhibiting any symptoms, we can take him then.”

Jongdae sighs and heads back to the bar.

“I hate lying to him.” Baekhyun says.

“It is for the best.” Kyungsoo tells him.

“If the revenants attacked you in broad daylight, they are escalating.” Minseok says, keeping his voice low. “You haven’t had the gun that long; you’ve barely made a dent in their numbers. They are either worried you’re going to go on a rampage and take them all out or they are pushing through with their plan before their numbers drop.”

“Suho was talking about getting out of Purgatory.” Baekhyun murmurs.

“Then they are going after the seals.” Minseok says. “It’s the only way.”

“What can I do?” Baekhyun asks.

Minseok frowns. “Not much, I fear, just keep killing them and hope that it makes a difference.”

“Is there no way to protect the seals?” Chanyeol pipes up.

“Not without drawing too much attention to them,” Minseok replies. “Right now, we have to work on the assumption they don’t know where the seals are. To protect them, I’d have to take you to their general vicinity at least, and that just narrows down the ground they need to search.”

Kyungsoo sighs. “Fucking demons. I need a drink. What do you want? I’ll buy this round.” He asks Chanyeol and Baekhyun.

“Something strong.” Baekhyun answers.

Kyungsoo leaves to go to the bar and Minseok squeezes Baekhyun’s shoulder lightly. “Things will be okay, Baekhyun. I believe in you.”

Minseok packs up the first aid kit, and Kyungsoo returns to the table with their drinks. He sets down Baekhyun’s with a roll of his eyes. “Jongdae says he’s not giving you any alcohol, not if you might have concussion.”

Baekhyun stares down at his water. “But I’m not concussed!”

“Tell that to him,” Kyungsoo responds.

Baekhyun glances over to the bar to see Jongdae stood watching them, arms crossed. Baekhyun lifts his glass and gives what he hopes is his most sarcastic smile before gulping down the water. There is a hint of a smile on Jongdae’s face before he turns away.

As the night creeps on, Baekhyun can’t help but think about what Suho had said. Baekhyun wasn’t alone. Chanyeol and Kyungsoo sitting opposite him, Minseok behind the bar, Yixing sliding into their booth when he swings by the saloon later that evening to have a chat… they are friendships old and new. Jongdae is different. Even if things never went back to the way they were, things had still improved in the past few weeks. Even if it wasn’t reciprocated, Baekhyun would give his life for Jongdae. And Jongdae hadn’t completely cut him off just yet so maybe, deep down, Jongdae still cared.

Baekhyun was definitely not alone. It sparks a little bit of hope in his chest.

∞

Baekhyun walks alongside Jongdae, hands in his pockets as he looks up at the clear night sky. The stars were bright this far out from the big city, and Baekhyun is reminded of all the times he and Jongdae, sometimes Baekbeom and Jongdeok too, would camp out in the Kim’s back garden, talking nonsense and watching them shine.

Walking home from work with Jongdae was a new development in their tentative relationship. Minseok had suggested it since they lived so close to each other anyway, and this way Baekhyun’s nerves about being followed eased up a little. Jongdae had agreed without hesitation and Baekhyun had felt his heart swell. The awkwardness was slowly starting to slip away. As they walked, Jongdae pointed out people’s houses and told Baekhyun the latest gossip he had heard from the old ladies that frequented the saloon.

“See you tomorrow?” Jongdae asks when they reach the end of his drive. He is still in the Kim family home; his parents and his brother having moved away sometime over the course of the last ten years.

Baekhyun nods. “Same time, same place.”

Jongdae rolls his eyes. “Goodnight, Baekhyun.”

“Night.”

Baekhyun is only a few minutes down the road when he hears the yelp. At first, he thinks he imagined it, but then there is another cry, one that sounds like Jongdae, and Baekhyun turns and runs back in the direction he came from.

There is a revenant dragging Jongdae by the scruff of his neck down his driveway. Three others are waiting on the pavement, watching as Jongdae shouts, and Baekhyun takes the opportunity to raise Peacemaker and shoot whilst they are distracted. He gets the closest one right away, then the second before she can run. The revenant holding onto Jongdae wraps an arm around his neck, baring it and pressing a knife against Jongdae’s skin with his free hand. Jongdae is looking at him, eyes filled with panic and confusion.

“Consider your next move very carefully, Byun.” He says, flashing sharp teeth. There is a dimple in his cheek, and it would be cute if he wasn’t so hideous. “Try anything funny and your little friend here is dead meat.”

Baekhyun lowers Peacemaker immediately. He can’t risk Jongdae’s life.

“Good boy,” The revenant says.

“Let him go.” Baekhyun says. “Your quarrel is with me, not him.”

The revenant hums. “I don’t know, I want to have a little bit of fun. What do you think Kai?”

The other revenant moves slowly down the street back towards them, eyeing Baekhyun carefully. “What did you have in mind, Lay?”

Lay presses the knife harder against Jongdae’s neck and Baekhyun watches as it cuts into his skin, blood spilling out. Lay brings the knife up to his mouth and licks at it, and Baekhyun clenches his fist around Peacemaker.

Lay must have loosened his grip on Jongdae whilst he was showing off, because Jongdae lifts his elbow and drives it into Lay’s chest. Lay growls but moves too late. Jongdae has already twisted out of his grasp, and he runs over to Baekhyun’s side, clinging at Baekhyun’s arm.

Baekhyun doesn’t feel any remorse as he shoots Lay. He feels Jongdae grip tighten as the portal to hell opens beneath Lay and he falls into it. Kai has backed away again, eyes flickering to the singed grass in front of Jongdae’s house to the colt in Baekhyun’s hand.

“Not so brave are you now, huh?” Baekhyun shouts. He starts to follow Kai up the street and can’t help but laugh as Kai quickens his step to try and get away. Baekhyun shoots him with Peacemaker before he can break into a run and waits until the ground has shifted back to normal before he turns back to Jongdae.

Jongdae’s sat on the ground, head in his hands. Baekhyun runs over, lifting Jongdae’s head so he can assess the wound on his neck. It doesn’t look too deep – Lay was definitely trying to rile Baekhyun up – but Baekhyun doesn’t want to take any chances, so he hoists Jongdae to his feet, keeping an arm wrapped around his body.

“Baekhyun…” Jongdae looks scared and confused and he grips onto Baekhyun’s shirt tightly.

“Come on,” Baekhyun says. “Let’s go see Minseok.”

Heaven’s Gate is dark when they arrive. Baekhyun bangs on the front doors for a good few minutes before a disgruntled Minseok opens them. He takes one look and ushers them in. Baekhyun sits Jongdae down and heads over to the bar whilst Minseok grabs the first aid kit.

Baekhyun’s four shots of tequila down before he joins them. Minseok has cleaned the wound and is saying something quietly, but he stops when Baekhyun approaches and sets the tequila bottle down on the table between them.

“I’ll leave you two to talk.” He says, getting to his feet. He presses a hand to Jongdae’s shoulder and gives him a look. “You both have a lot to discuss.”

“I like your pyjamas.” Baekhyun calls after him.

Minseok looks down at his spotted shirt before narrowing his eyes at Baekhyun. “If you throw up on my upholstery, I will kill you.”

Baekhyun laughs. Jongdae looks haunted. He is looking at Baekhyun as though he is seeing him in a completely new light, eyes filled with uncertainty. “I don’t know where to start,” Jongdae says eventually.

“How about from the beginning.” Baekhyun suggests. He slides the tequila over to Jongdae. Jongdae grabs it and takes a big swig and its only when he sets the bottle down that Baekhyun starts to talk.

It is a long story. The curse, Baekhyun’s father’s death, the red eyes that tormented him, Baekbeom’s murder, Baekhyun’s decision to leave and Minseok asking him to return. It was already late when they had left the saloon to go home, but by the time Baekhyun has finished talking daylight has started to creep in through the windows, the birds chirping in the trees. Jongdae is silent throughout it all. He rises to grab shot glasses for them both at one point and refills them whenever Baekhyun says something particularly gritty.

“That’s it, I guess.” Baekhyun finishes. His throat burns and he is a little dizzy now.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Jongdae questions. “About the eyes, the nightmares.”

“What would you have said?” Baekhyun laughs in disbelief. “That you believed me? If you would have told anyone that I was seeing things or hearing voices they would have had me locked up. I couldn’t put that burden on you or your family, not when you took me in when you didn’t have to.”

“Of course, we had to.” Jongdae retorts. “You were my best friend. I would never have let them ship you off to god knows where when you had a perfectly good home, a perfectly good family right here with me.”

“You have to understand that your family taking me in is one of the only good things to have happened in my life.” Baekhyun admits. “Do you get why I left now, though? I couldn’t stay. Not when this town was a reminder of everything I had lost, when the eyes and the voices were getting braver. I had to go.”

“I understand, Baekhyun.” Jongdae says quietly. “But that was never why I was mad. You didn’t have to be alone. I could have come with you. I _would_ have come with you, dropped everything. I thought…” Jongdae sighs. “Maybe it’s selfish. No, I know it is selfish. I just thought that even though life in Purgatory was absolute hell for you, there were some good things here. It didn’t feel like that when you left me behind. I had buried the feeling so deep, almost forgotten about it because I never thought I would see you again. Then you showed up out of nowhere and I…”

“I’m sorry Jongdae.”

“No, _I’m_ sorry.” Jongdae reaches across the table and takes Baekhyun’s hands in his own. “Demons and curses definitely weren’t on the list of reasons I came up with for you leaving. I just thought you wanted to move on from this town.” The _move on from me_ goes unspoken.

“If I could go back and change things I would.” Baekhyun says honestly. “Hurting you was the last thing I wanted to do.”

Jongdae grips Baekhyun’s hands tight. “What now?”

Baekhyun sighs. “I finish what Minseok called me back to do. Get rid of the revenants once and for all. Free Purgatory. Hell, free myself.”

“What can I do to help?” Jongdae asks earnestly and Baekhyun thinks the tears that start to spring from the corner of his eyes are long overdue.

“Keep your eyes out for anything suspicious, don’t go anywhere alone.” His voice cracks as he jokes, “Hold my hand and tell me it’s all going to be okay?”

Jongdae’s eyes are watery too. “I can do that.”

(Minseok finds them huddled together half-asleep two hours later and kicks them out with an exasperated sigh).

∞

Baekhyun feels like a new man. Having Jongdae back in his life rejuvenates him in a way he never expected. It’s funny, seeing everyone in town react to them hanging out together too. Yixing pulls them into a big bear hug when they go for breakfast together and when Baekhyun takes Jongdae to the sheriff’s station to introduce him to Kyungsoo and Chanyeol properly, they end up getting distracted and having a half hour with Junmyeon who won’t stop talking about how happy he is to see them together.

It sparks something deep inside of Baekhyun. There is something about being on the receiving end of Jongdae’s smile, his laugh, his gentle touches. Baekhyun was in love with his best friend and there was absolutely nothing he could do about it.

Even if he wanted to do something, he couldn’t. The revenants had definitely escalated. They were waiting around every corner he turned: outside of work, sat a few tables down at the diner. Minseok had been busy warding every place he could reach, and Baekhyun helped by gifting old friends protection charms for ‘good luck’.

Baekhyun takes out six more revenants that ambush him and notes them all down in the diary that Jongdae had gifted him the previous week. It takes his total up to thirty-one and Baekhyun is shocked when he realises that nearly half the revenants had been sent back to hell already in the few months since he had turned twenty-seven. He was creeping close to his dad’s total of forty-eight, and that had taken his dad three years to achieve. It was bittersweet, even more so when he reads his dad’s diary. The personal notes range from suspicion of folks in town who might be under the influence of revenants to anecdotes about Baekbeom, and later Baekhyun. The pages are interspersed with photos of their little family in happier times and Baekhyun’s heart hurts looking at them. He would give anything to have a conversation with his dad, about the curse, their family, mundane daily life.

“Penny for your thoughts?”

Baekhyun snaps out of his head when Jongdae speaks and he rolls over on the bed. He was at Jongdae’s – they had come to an agreement of sorts. The revenants still lurked outside even though they couldn’t step foot on the property anymore (another one of Minseok’s warding spells) and it unsettled Jongdae. Baekhyun understood completely, he had put up with it his whole life. They were taking it in turns, rotating sleeping between Jongdae’s place and Baekhyun’s after work was over. If he closed his eyes, Baekhyun could pretend that they were just two normal adults, best friends who weren’t having to deal with demons, just hanging out because they could.

The first night he had stayed over at Jongdae’s, he had parked himself on the sofa, Peacemaker in his lap, eyes trained on the door. Jongdae had given him maybe half an hour before he had dragged Baekhyun upstairs into his room – not even the guest room. Baekhyun had stuttered out a protest and Jongdae had shrugged and thrown Baekhyun some pyjamas. “I’ll sleep better with you beside me,” Jongdae had said, closing his eyes as he curled up next to Baekhyun. It takes Baekhyun a long time to fall asleep after that.

That is where Baekhyun finds himself tonight. Back in Jongdae’s bed, wearing Jongdae’s pyjamas. “We agreed to keep sad revenant thoughts outside of the bedroom.” Baekhyun answers.

Jongdae snorts. “You look like you were somewhere else though. We can still talk about it if you want.”

He sits down on the end of the bed once he has dried his hair and watches Baekhyun.

“I was thinking about my dad.” Baekhyun tells him. “Reading his diary makes me miss him. It feels silly sometimes, to miss someone I don’t even remember.”

Jongdae lies down next to Baekhyun and pinches his side. “Don’t say that, it isn’t silly. He’s your dad.”

“I can’t help but wonder what life would be like if the curse didn’t exist.” Baekhyun says. “Would my family even still be in Purgatory? I would have a dad, a mom, and a brother. I wouldn’t be seeing things or hearing voices. Life would be a lot easier.”

“Yeah, it would.” Jongdae says after a moment. “You’ve had terrible luck.”

“That’s an understatement really,” Baekhyun says and Jongdae laughs. “I don’t know. I get sad about the past, the present and my future. I wouldn’t wish this on anybody else but…”

“You didn’t ask to be cursed.” Jongdae says. “I get what you’re trying to say, Baekhyun. It’s admirable that you are sticking it out until the end, even if you didn’t know what you were getting into when you came back to Purgatory.”

“I’m glad you’re here with me.” Baekhyun tells him, feeling around on the bed until he finds Jongdae’s hand. “It was hard not having you by my side.”

“Well I’m here now, Baekhyunnie.” Jongdae tells him and Baekhyun closes his eyes. “And I’m not going anywhere.”

Baekhyun is in the middle of telling a Heaven’s Gate regular a story involving himself, a bottle of vodka and an unfortunate incident of nakedness when Minseok drops the glass. It shatters on the floor by their feet and Baekhyun looks over and watches as Minseok brings his hands to his head and gasps out in pain.

“Minseok?” Baekhyun reaches out to touch his shoulder and Minseok jumps, dropping his hands to his side and looking down at the mess on the floor.

“Shit.” Minseok drops into a crouch and starts to pick up the broken glass.

“Leave that, I’ll deal with it.” Jongdae says, stepping up beside Baekhyun, dustpan and brush in hand. To Baekhyun, he murmurs, “Take him to the cellar.”

“Come on.” Baekhyun pulls Minseok to his feet and steps over the glass, leading him away from the bar and into the quiet of the cellar.

Baekhyun sits him down on a barrel and stands back, frowning. “Minseok you’re shaking.” He says. “What’s wrong?”

“They broke one of the seals. It’s tied to my magic, so I felt it instantly.” Minseok says, pressing his hands together as though it would stop them from trembling. “My head is throbbing.”

“Shit.” Baekhyun says. “What do we do? Go after them?”

“If you leave now, you might still be able to catch whoever did it.” Minseok tells him. “Call Black Badge.”

“Oh, I already know who did this.” Baekhyun says. “It has Suho written all over it. Where should I tell Black Badge to meet me?”

Minseok grimaces. “How do you feel about a trip home?”

There are two things on Baekhyun’s mind when he pulls up to the Byun ranch. The first is that he couldn’t believe Minseok had a motorcycle hiding away at the back of the saloon – he had let Baekhyun borrow it to get to the ranch as quickly as he could. The second was that Baekhyun had been right about the ranch – it was in a state of complete disrepair. The long grass around it was easily waist high, and even in the dark, Baekhyun could make out the smashed windows and spray paint on the walls. It was hard to believe that it used to be his home.

Kyungsoo and Chanyeol are already there when Baekhyun pulls up. They step out of the SUV, once again dressed like something out of Men In Black. Chanyeol has his sunglasses on and Baekhyun asks, “Do they help you see in the dark or something?” before he can stop himself.

Chanyeol laughs and shakes his head. “No. I just think they look cool.”

“Minseok not coming?” Kyungsoo asks when he realises Baekhyun is alone.

“He said he’ll be here as soon as he can, but he didn’t want to leave Jongdae to handle the saloon alone in case this is a diversion.” Baekhyun tells him.

“What’s the plan?” Chanyeol asks.

“Uh, go in, shoot some revenants and try not to die?” Baekhyun responds. “I haven’t really gotten any further than that.”

“Well, I think we can do that.” Chanyeol laughs. “After you Byun.”

“Welcome to the place of my nightmares,” Baekhyun says as they make their way down the path and to the front door of the ranch.

Baekhyun lifts Peacemaker and waits from a nod from Kyungsoo before he opens the door. It is a good job he was anticipating being ambushed, because a revenant leaps at him the minute the door swings open and he shoots, sending it straight to hell.

“That was stupid.” Chanyeol mutters behind him, and Baekhyun can’t help but agree.

The house is eerie. Things hadn’t changed in all the time Baekhyun had been away. There are still family pictures on the wall – of Baekhyun, his brother and his parents and then others of his grandparents. With hindsight, the house holds the answer to all the questions Baekhyun has about his past. Baekhyun can see books on demons and guns on the bookcase and he wonders how naïve he had been when he was younger to not see the signs.

Minseok had told him the seal was hidden beneath the floorboards and that the ranch had been chosen because the revenants were supposedly unable to step foot on the property. “It just goes to show how much of a long game they have been playing.” Minseok had said. “I warded that ranch over a hundred years ago and it took them this long to find where I buried the charms.”

Baekhyun steps into the backroom and sees the splintered floorboards first. Then he sees Suho, stood in the corner, leaning up against the wall as though this wasn’t the beginning of the end. Baekhyun’s finger itches to pull the trigger and wipe Suho and his smarmy smile off the face of the planet forever, but Minseok had told him to wait and so he does.

“Baekhyun, it’s nice to see you again.” Suho says. He looks between Kyungsoo and Chanyeol and then back at Baekhyun. “I see you brought friends.”

“Agent Park and Agent Do of the Black Badge Division.” Chanyeol says and Baekhyun already knows Kyungsoo is rolling his eyes.

“Oh, I know who you are.” Suho stands up straight and his smile turns into a glare. “You’ve been throwing a wrench in my plans.”

“So much for me being alone,” Baekhyun says.

“You’ll still be alone Baekhyun.” Suho says. “I’ll kill these two, that witch and your boyfriend. I’ll kill everyone in this godforsaken town and then you will be alone.”

“That’s fucked up man.” Chanyeol says.

It makes Baekhyun laugh. Chanyeol isn’t wrong – it’s incredibly fucked up and Baekhyun’s heart starts racing in his chest as it finally sinks in that whatever happens now will shape what comes next. He couldn’t let Suho kill anyone, he couldn’t let him win.

It is like the revenants can sense the anxiety as it thrums through his veins as it is then that they come flooding into the room. It is too cramped, too dark and Baekhyun takes a deep breath and hopes for the best as he starts to aim Peacemaker.

Bullets ricochet off the walls as Kyungsoo and Chanyeol shoot to protect themselves and Baekhyun. Their shots do nothing significant, are nothing more than a nuisance to the revenants. It’s only the bullets of Peacemaker that do any damage and Baekhyun is being pulled in every direction at once, shooting revenants that step too close and diving in front of Kyungsoo and Chanyeol to stop them becoming revenant food.

Suho is watching from the corner, Baekhyun can feel his eyes on him. It is why he notices when Suho slips out of the room and Baekhyun panics. He can’t let him escape but leaving Kyungsoo and Chanyeol alone to deal with the revenants without him is a death sentence.

“Go.” Kyungsoo says, noticing his hesitation. “We’re right behind you.”

Baekhyun runs out of the back door and chases down Suho. He’s moving fast, leaving the property and Baekhyun runs after him.

“Where do you think you’re going?” Baekhyun calls. “Running away like a coward? You always send the other revenants to do your dirty work, Suho. Scared I’ll kill you and then you’ll be stuck in hell forever?”

Suho growls. “No-one has succeeded yet, Byun. Your brother didn’t even make it to his twenty-seventh birthday. You should have seen the look on his face when he realised we were going to kill him. He was pathetic, just like you.”

“Fuck you.” Baekhyun spits.

Suho grins and takes a step forward. “Did I hit a sore spot? Your poor precious brother? I had fun ripping out his –”

“Baekhyun!”

Baekhyun glances back at the house and sees Minseok and Jongdae surrounded. Chanyeol and Kyungsoo are nowhere in sight. He looks at Suho one last time before he starts to run back to the house.

He is halfway there when someone crashes into him, and Baekhyun falls to the grass. The revenant is on him instantly, hand going straight to Baekhyun’s neck and Baekhyun scrambles to push him off. Peacemaker is on the ground a few feet away and Baekhyun reaches out with one hand to try and grab it, using the other to try to pry the fingers around his neck away.

“You will die here today Baekhyun.” Suho’s voice echoes around him.

Baekhyun hopes the fury in his eyes is enough of a response. His vision is going blurry, and he gives up reaching for Peacemaker to focus on getting the revenant off him. Baekhyun kicks repeatedly, pressing his thumbs into the revenant’s eyes. The revenant loosens his grip and Baekhyun doesn’t hesitate, rolling them over, closer to Peacemaker so that he can grab it and shoot the revenant.

As the revenant goes down into the flames, Baekhyun gasps for breath, stumbling to his feet before running back to the house.

“I need your blood to help with the resealing ritual,” Minseok says, pulling him into the house. “Hold out your palm.”

Baekhyun winces as Minseok draws a knife over his hand. He watches as his blood drops onto the broken seal, mixing with Minseok’s.

“What do you think you are doing?” Suho is beside them in an instant. He is furious, his eyes seemingly glowing even brighter in the dark of the room.

Suho runs straight for Minseok but Jongdae shoves him out of the way before he can get there, catching Suho off guard. Suho lunges for Jongdae. Minseok slashes his knife across Suho’s chest and finishes chanting the ritual. He nods and Baekhyun takes aim.

“I think you’ll find it is you who is going to be dying today.” He says.

Suho screams and runs at Baekhyun. He feels Suho’s sharp nails drag across his chest and then Baekhyun pulls the trigger. Suho gets dragged down kicking and fighting but then he is gone. Baekhyun falls to his knees and then the world goes black.

When Baekhyun wakes up, his head is in Jongdae’s lap, a hand petting at his hair. It takes him a moment to realise they are in his childhood bedroom. The faded posters are all curling at the edges and there is dust everywhere. He sits up and sneezes, groaning at the pain in his chest.

“Careful.” Jongdae says.

The damage isn’t too bad. The scratches on his chest aren’t that deep and if all they leave is a sick scar, Baekhyun’s fine with that. His throat hurts and he’s covered in a dozen other scrapes, but he is alive and that is what counts.

“Where is everyone else, are they all okay?” Baekhyun moves to stand but Jongdae pulls him back onto the bed and he falls into Jongdae’s arms.

“Everyone’s alive and well.” Jongdae says. “Black Badge have gone to talk to Junmyeon and Minseok’s downstairs cleaning up.”

Baekhyun relaxes. “And you?” He asks. “You didn’t get hurt, did you?”

Jongdae shakes his head. “I’m fine too.”

Jongdae’s hand goes back to Baekhyun’s hair and Baekhyun lies there in Jongdae’s embrace for a minute, mulling over the events of the evening. “If you keep doing that, I’m going to fall asleep,” He says.

“Just give me another minute.” Jongdae says. “I thought I was about to see you die and I only just got you back.”

Jongdae holds on for longer than a minute and when he finally lets go, Baekhyun sits up and pulls him in for a proper hug. He buries his face in the crook of Jongdae’s neck.

When they part, Baekhyun can’t help himself.

“I love you.” He blurts out. “I’ve loved you for a long time Jongdae. I just needed to tell you that.”

There is a knocking on the door and they both jump. Minseok pokes his head in and looks between the two of them. “I thought I heard voices,” He says. “Glad to see you’re up Baekhyun. Black Badge are back, and they brought Junmyeon, so I think it’s best you come downstairs.”

“We’ll be there in a second,” Jongdae answers.

Minseok nods and shuts the door behind him when he leaves. Baekhyun moves to stand but Jongdae holds him in place. “You’re not running away from me again.” Jongdae says. “Will you sit and listen for just a second?”

Baekhyun nods.

“I think you’re the most unsubtle person I’ve ever met in my life. Jongdeok used to tease me and say you liked me, and I always told him it was rubbish but the more I paid attention, the more I realised he was right. I was going to say something to you but then you left.” Jongdae says. “I spent ten years convincing myself that I didn’t like you that way and that it didn’t matter but then you came back, and it all came back to bite me with a vengeance.” Jongdae moves his hands so they are cupping Baekhyun’s cheeks. “Ten years have passed, and you still look at me like you can’t believe I exist. I love you too you, absolute idiot.”

Baekhyun swears his heart stops in his chest. He opens his mouth to talk but there is another knock on the door and Baekhyun starts laughing instead. “This is ridiculous.” He says.

“Not to hurry you, but Kyungsoo says if you’re not downstairs in five minutes he’ll drag you both down himself.” It’s Chanyeol this time.

“We’re coming! Fucking Christ.” Jongdae mutters, standing up. He points at Baekhyun. “We’ll finish this later. Now come on, before Kyungsoo breaks our bones.”

Baekhyun walks downstairs in a daze. Jongdae Kim _loves_ him? Baekhyun pinches himself to make sure he's not dreaming. Imagining what life could be like with Jongdae by his side as his partner had been his favourite painful past time, but now he was so close to making it their reality. If this was a dream, it was so cruel.

Everyone is sat around the kitchen table when they get downstairs. It has been wiped down, no longer covered in a thick layer of dust. Baekhyun was thankful. Just stepping in the room made him sneeze.

He felt oddly overwhelmed, thinking about the six of them here at his family's ranch. It felt like the start of something significant.

“Finally.” Kyungsoo mutters. Jongdae gives him the finger.

“What did you want to talk about?” Jongdae asks, sitting down.

“It’s more of a debrief than anything.” Kyungsoo says. “We filled Junmyeon in on what’s been going on since there were reports of gunshots up here last night.”

“I can’t believe there have been demons in town this whole time.” Junmyeon says, taking his hat off and setting it on the table. “It explains a lot, actually.”

“Hopefully, they won’t be here for much longer.” Minseok says.

“I kept score of the kill count last night and you’re up to forty-two,” Chanyeol says to Baekhyun. “Only thirty-five left to go!”

“I feel like forty-two in three months has to be some kind of record.” Baekhyun says.

“I think it is actually.” Chanyeol says, pulling out his pocket notebook to check.

“I’m expecting a prize when I get into the office on Monday morning.” Baekhyun tells him.

“What happens now?” Jongdae asks. “If they know where the seal is…”

“I don’t think that is too much of a worry. I’ve warded the ranch again and without their all-powerful leader, I think they’ll spend the next few months trying to regroup. If Baekhyun carries on at the rate he is now, there will barely be any left by then.” Minseok says. "Finding any of the other seals is going to be hard work with half their original numbers, especially if they don't have any clues as to where they are."

“Well to do that, I’m going to need to catch up on my beauty sleep. Not to be rude, but are we done here?” Baekhyun asks. He can barely concentrate on what is being said, his mind racing as he thinks _Jongdae Jongdae Jongdae_.

Kyungsoo looks like he is about to say something, but Chanyeol cuts him off. “I guess it can wait until tomorrow. Kyungsoo and I will accompany the sheriff back to the station.”

“I need to get back to the saloon.” Minseok says with a frown.

“I’ll come by the station first thing in the morning. We can talk about where to go from here.” Baekhyun says. “Scout’s honour.”

“You were never a Boy Scout.” Jongdae says beside him.

“The point still stands.” Baekhyun argues and Jongdae starts laughing.

One by one, they all filter out until its just Baekhyun and Jongdae. There is silence as they look at each other. "Want to come back to mine?” Baekhyun asks.

“We’re technically already at yours,” Jongdae points out. “But sure.”

“I’d rather not spend any longer here than I have to.” Baekhyun says. “At least not whilst it still looks like this. Besides, here there is no alcohol, no blankets, no food. It'd be hard to have a good time here with all the bad memories it holds.”

“It’s eleven in the morning.” Jongdae says, already halfway out the door. "Actually, I'm sure if you looked hard enough, you'd find something strong. Baekbeom definitely had a secret stash, and so did your mother."

“So? After the night I’ve had, I fucking need it." Baekhyun says. "I'll have to comeback and actually sort through this place sometime soon.”

"Fancy some company whilst you do?" Jongdae asks.

"That would be great."

Baekhyun spends the whole journey back to his apartment thinking about what to say to Jongdae. The feeling is mutual? Baekhyun wants to scream from the rooftops. The minute they get through the front door of his apartment he turns to say something, anything, but Jongdae beats him to it. Jongdae pushes him up against the wall, kicking the door shut behind him and pressing their lips together. It is a mess; their teeth clash and Baekhyun is laughing, but he wouldn’t have it any other way. He wraps his arms around Jongdae’s neck and kisses back with everything he’s got.

“Sorry.” Jongdae says when they pull apart. “I couldn’t wait any longer.”

“I’m not complaining.” Baekhyun grins, pulling him in for another kiss, something softer.

They have their third, fourth and fifth kisses in the hallway before they eventually make their way into the front room, kicking off their shoes and cuddling up together on the sofa. Baekhyun lies with his head on Jongdae’s chest, listening to his heartbeat as Jongdae’s hand strokes at his hair again and for once in his life, Baekhyun feels like things are finally going right.

It is far from over yet – Baekhyun still has thirty-five revenants to go – but for the first time since this all started, Baekhyun feels like he might actually get through this alive.

“I’m glad I came back to town.” Baekhyun says, eyes drooping shut. He wants to stay awake, to kiss Jongdae more, but he's exhausted even after sleeping for as long as he did earlier. It warms his heart to know that he can sleep peacefully, with the knowledge that Jongdae will still be there when he wakes up.

Jongdae presses a soft kiss to his head. “Me too.”

**Author's Note:**

> i didn't discover this cf until after i started writing but junmyeon totally looks like he does [here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pGKDkZ2kVuM)
> 
> revenants are based on x-exo but you can also see them as the outlaw relatives of their modern day counterparts


End file.
